(no subject)
What's the matter with Kansas? Well, a story like this embodies, sadly, only a small fraction of my state's international fame. Welcome home indeed.
In other less pessimistic news, the moderates have taken back control of the Kansas state school board. And in consequence, the ID "academics" have reversed their opinion regarding the importance of school board decisions. Let's face it, redefining science standards, while an international embarrassment, has not and will not change how either western or eastern Kansas approaches biology. Laws are nice, but enforcement is lax. ID and hints of creationism have been taught in remote towns regardless of constitutionality and legally graspable science standards. In western Kansas education is a grassroots creation, a beast that is far too remote and politically charged for the state to attack outright. If anything, the evolution debate is just another social rally point for the high and titans of Topeka.
"Look, we know that life isn't a sip of Jim Bean anymore. It's hard to buy a loaf of Wonder Bread let alone a 6 pack of Pabst. We tried, but those crafty corporate farmers keep finding loopholes. But you know what will really set you off your rockers? Get this, people on the other side of the state believe that we are the great grand children of apes? Absurd, I know...But did you know that in their schools they take the Bible, rip out Genesis and dance around a bonfire naked while cathartically burning our holy writ? If you don't do something, your children will be forced to do the same."
In other less pessimistic news, the moderates have taken back control of the Kansas state school board. And in consequence, the ID "academics" have reversed their opinion regarding the importance of school board decisions. Let's face it, redefining science standards, while an international embarrassment, has not and will not change how either western or eastern Kansas approaches biology. Laws are nice, but enforcement is lax. ID and hints of creationism have been taught in remote towns regardless of constitutionality and legally graspable science standards. In western Kansas education is a grassroots creation, a beast that is far too remote and politically charged for the state to attack outright. If anything, the evolution debate is just another social rally point for the high and titans of Topeka.
"Look, we know that life isn't a sip of Jim Bean anymore. It's hard to buy a loaf of Wonder Bread let alone a 6 pack of Pabst. We tried, but those crafty corporate farmers keep finding loopholes. But you know what will really set you off your rockers? Get this, people on the other side of the state believe that we are the great grand children of apes? Absurd, I know...But did you know that in their schools they take the Bible, rip out Genesis and dance around a bonfire naked while cathartically burning our holy writ? If you don't do something, your children will be forced to do the same."